Board Expertise and Sustainability Reporting in Listed Banks in Nigeria

Despite the growing evidence on the determinants of sustainability reporting, there exist limited and inconclusive studies on the impact of board expertise on sustainability reporting. This study investigates the influence of environmentally sensitive, certified or educated board members on the disclosure of sustainability report. Based on the static panel data regression estimators for 10 Nigerian Deposit Money Banks over the period of 2014- 2016, the study revealed that highly educated directors have an altogether constructive influence on the sustainability report disclosure while controlling for corporate administration and firm-level qualities. In addition, we find that the executive and non-executive directors have low experience in environmental issues resulting in an insignificant effect on the disclosure of sustainability reporting. This paper suggests that firms should allow more directors with environmental background, who have a lower motivation to boost transient returns since they are likely to influence environmental performance

“Gender diversity and sustainability responsiveness: evidence from Nigerian fixed money deposit banks”

This paper aims to explore the impact of gender diversity on firms’ sustainability re- sponsiveness in ensuring collective drive toward achieving sustainable development goals (agenda) for Nigeria. This study explored female engagement from three major platforms, namely women as directors, management team leaders, and female work- force. The data used to conduct this study were derived from the annual reports of the sampled banks spanning through the period of 2013–2016. However, while data for this study were analyzed using EViews statistical tool, the sustainability reporting data were ascertained using the content analysis method. The outcome of this study depicts that female directors, female workforce, and women in the management team all had an adverse and positive association with sustainability reporting. However, this association was all insignificant. This further buttresses that gender diversity was not the major driving force behind the sustainability reporting of the sampled banks in Nigeria. This is because the sector is highly regulated. Hence, the study recommends that notwithstanding the outcome, in attaining the sustainable development goals (SDGs), there is a need to have more female representation on the strategic position of authority